That didn’t involve a “baked good” because Mom doesn’t really like that kinda stuff

Homemade

Low in sugar

Something my Dad wouldn’t like so he wouldn’t eat it all :P

I was wracking my brain trying to come up with an idea, so I called my Mom to poke and prod at what she’d been enjoying lately. It wasn’t long until she started talking about her Starbucks Chai Latte obsession and the guilt that went along with it.

“Guilt, why?” I asked.
“Because there’s just so much sugar and ridiculous calories.” She said.
“Wouldn’t it be great if Starbucks had a lower sugar option and served it with unsweetened almond milk?”
“Yes. Oh, that would be nice. Maybe they’d do it special just for me because it’s my birthday?”

ding ding ding! I ended our conversation abruptly and headed to the kitchen.

Make your own iced chai lattes with this sugar-reduced, healthy version of chai syrup that you can make at home.

Ingredients

3 cups water

4 black tea bags - I used orange pekoe

1 vanilla bean, split in half

½ cup coconut sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

½ inch section of fresh ginger [or 2 pieces of dehydrated ginger]

2 whole cloves

2 cardamom pods [or ¼ teaspoon powdered cardamom]

¼ teaspoon aniseed

8 x 6 section of cheesecloth, folded over [doubled]

twine

Instructions

Directions

Option 1: Liquid concentrate - to be enjoyed within 7 days

Lay cheesecloth flat and begin placing ingredients on top. Begin with tea bags, then vanilla bean, ginger, cloves, cardamom, and aniseed. If you're using cardamom powder, sandwich in between 2 teabags to prevent it from dispersing into the mix. Bundle everything into cheesecloth and pinch together. Tie with twine and tie 2 cinnamon sticks with the twine.

Place water and coconut sugar in a medium sized saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and put the cheesecloth bag in. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before pouring it in an air tight container [mason jars works well] and placing in the fridge to cool.

To enjoy as an iced latte: combine 1 part concentrate with 3 parts non-dairy milk. Serve on ice.

Option 2: Concentrate packet - if you're giving this away as a gift, and you're not sure when the receiver is going to drink the concentrate, you can combine all of the dry ingredients in cheesecloth and give them instructions on how to make the concentrate when they're ready [below]

Lay cheesecloth flat and begin placing ingredients on top. Begin with tea bags, then vanilla bean, ginger [use dehydrated, or candied ginger to prevent the bag from spoiling], cloves, cardamom, and aniseed. If you're using cardamom powder, sandwich in between 2 teabags to prevent it from dispersing into the mix. Bundle everything into cheesecloth and pinch together. Tie with twine and tie 2 cinnamon sticks with the twine.

Provide the following instructions to the recipient:

To make your chai concentrate, place 3 cups of water and ½ cup coconut sugar in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and place the cheesecloth bag in. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before pouring it in an air tight container [mason jars works well] and placing in the fridge to cool. To enjoy as a iced chai latte, combine 1 part concentrate to 3 parts non-dairy milk. Serve on ice.

3.3.3070

I ended up making 3 batches for my Mom. 1 liquid form for instant gratification, and 2 cheesecloth packets that she can use to make additional batches later.
Oh… and 1 batch for me.
;)

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Leanne Vogel has experienced success in using her recipes and keto-based diet. It works with her lifestyle but there are no assurances or representations of any kind made by Leanne Vogel or Healthful Pursuit Inc. that you will attain any success in using the same recipes or adopting a keto-based diet. Healthful Pursuit provides information in respect to healthy living, recipes, nutrition, and diet and is intended for informational purposes only. The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment nor is it to be construed as such. We cannot guarantee that the information provided by Healthful Pursuit reflects the most up-to-date medical research. Information is provided without any representations or warranties of any kind. Please consult a qualified physician for medical advice, and always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your health and nutrition program.